…targets N150bn IGR, promises functional clinics in 351 wards

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has pledged to grant local government autonomy from his first day in office if elected in 2027.

Alli also promised to establish a N10 billion youth fund, increase the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) to N150 billion annually without imposing additional tax burdens on residents and businesses, and make Oyo one of the three leading state economies in the country.

He made the pledges on Tuesday while unveiling his manifesto, tagged My Pact, to stakeholders in Ibadan, the state capital.

The event was attended by representatives of community development associations, professional bodies, artisans, traders, political groups, labour unions and other stakeholders.

Alli said the manifesto was built around seven pillars under the acronym Oyo AHEAD, covering local government autonomy, infrastructure, healthcare, education and employment, agriculture and exports, the digital economy and security.

He said the agenda was designed to transform the state’s economy, improve public service delivery and ensure that residents across the 33 local government areas felt the impact of government.

“Oyo State is the largest piece of land in southern Nigeria. We have 351 wards in 33 councils, and about eight million people. A state like ours should be feeding the South-West and selling to the world,” he said.

The candidate lamented that the state generated less than N100 billion in IGR last year, while neighbouring Ogun State generated nearly three times that amount.

He also cited figures indicating that about 3.8 million residents lived in poverty, saying the state’s economic potential remained largely untapped.

“Our people work hard every day. With the right support, they can do far better,” he said.

Alli said his administration would pursue the N150 billion annual IGR target without increasing the tax burden on traders, residents and businesses.

“In every one of our 351 wards, there will be a clinic that works, a school that teaches, and a road that leads somewhere,” he said.

On infrastructure, he promised to complete ongoing road projects and construct access roads to farming communities to ease the movement of people and agricultural produce.

He said every new road would carry a 20-year warranty, while his administration would fully constitute the state electricity regulator and generate power for industrial and agricultural corridors.

The APC candidate also pledged to audit faulty transformers and replace them every six months, restore potable water supply to 100 communities and connect at least 100 rural communities to electricity for the first time.

He promised to expand the state’s bus fleet and modernise Pacesetter Transport Company.

On housing, Alli said his administration would work with the Federal Government and private investors to provide affordable homes for low- and middle-income earners.

In the health sector, he promised to build general hospitals in the six local government areas yet to have one and recruit more doctors and other health professionals.

He said vacancies in health facilities, including primary healthcare centres, would be filled as they arose, noting that 10 hospitals currently had no medical doctor.

Alli also pledged free health insurance for infants, pregnant women and residents aged 70 and above, with a target of increasing enrolment from 271,000 to 500,000 within his first two years in office.

On education, he promised to reduce class sizes to 30 pupils, recruit more teachers, improve school infrastructure and establish skills centres in every zone.

He added that an apprenticeship law would be enacted to strengthen vocational training and employment opportunities for young people.

To boost economic growth, Alli said his administration would establish industrial parks, revive the Oluyole Free Trade Zone and create a guarantee fund to improve small businesses’ access to credit.

The proposed N10 billion Oyo Youth Fund, he said, would support youth-led enterprises, while digital hubs would be established across the state’s five geopolitical zones.

He further pledged to revive farm settlements, provide insurance for 10,000 farmers and establish a produce board through the Oyo Export Council to support farmers and improve market access.

On security, Alli promised to review the state’s security architecture to ensure the protection of lives and property.

He also assured civil servants that salaries and entitlements would be paid as and when due, adding that workers would be provided with the tools and working environment needed to improve productivity.

The candidate said his manifesto represented a commitment to building a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Oyo State.